Solid fuel rocket motors with a range of up to several hundred miles are typically used by hobbyists and for low altitude scientific research, for example, weather measurements. They will typically employ a solid fuel rocket motor which has an exhaust nozzle at one end, and an ejection charge at the other end. The solid fuel propellant is between these two ends. It is currently known to use an aluminum cylindrical casing for the rocket motor housing, which is then stocked with a series of cylindrical solid fuel cartridges which contain the propellant. It is important in such a motor casing to seal the two ends of the tube, first, to prevent combustion gases from being exhausted out the ejection charge end of the casing and, second, to force the combustion gases which are exhausted out the exhaust end of the casing to exit out the exhaust nozzle and not around the sides. Rubber 0-rings which are deformed when the components of the rocket motor are assembled are typically used. In some cases, an end cap is screwed onto each of the ends of the cylindrical hollow rocket motor casing. When the end caps are screwed down, 0-ring gaskets, either in the casing or in the end caps are pressed longitudinally to form a seal against the casing. An alternative method is to use 0-rings which are compressed radially. Typically, the 0-rings will be stretched over a portion of the threaded end caps and have a larger outside diameter than the inside diameter of the motor casing. The gaskets are therefore compressed when pushed into the hollow cylindrical casing. They can then be held in place longitudinally in a variety of ways.
In addition to fuel cartridges and end seals, a rocket motor also requires holders for the exhaust nozzle delay ignition cartridge and ejection charge. These parts are all typically provided separately further complicating the assembly of the rocket motor with its many parts and seals. Since it is preferred to reuse a rocket motor retaining all of the holders and gaskets and replacing the spent fuel cartridges, delay ignition cartridge and ejection charge, the time consumed and the inconvenience of disassembling and reassembling the motor is important.